Music

Grime

Ticketmaster reveals Grime: The Sound of a Generation

Ticketmaster, Disrupt and the University of Westminster deliver an in-depth report on grime.

Read the report

Ticketmaster has teamed up with one of the UK’s leading voices in grime, Disrupt, and the Black Music Research Unit at the University of Westminster to undertake the first ever comprehensive study on public attitudes towards grime music.

The State of Play: Grime report assesses the impact of the genre on the mainstream, revealing that it’s now an established part of British culture with a direct affect on the political establishment.

Read the full State of Play: Grime report here now.

Watch the full State of Play: Grime report video, featuring Posty, Ghstly XXVII, Novelist, Skitz Beatz, Leilah ‘Lilz’ Singh, Kieran Yates, Double S, and Mykaell Riley here.

 

From its early start bubbling under the surface in London to becoming a major genre on radio airwaves, streaming services and in the charts, three in four (73%) of people surveyed showed an awareness of grime, with two in five listening to the genre.

The report offers an in-depth look into how grime has become part of the social fabric of Britain, with sales growing faster than the total UK music market.

Major conclusions include the impact of the #Grime4Corbyn campaign. With 58% of grime fans voting for Labour during the 2017 election, one in four said that the campaign directly influenced their vote.

Artists such as JME, Akala and AJ Tracey supported #Grime4Corbyn.

The report also investigates Form 696, used by London’s Metropolitan Police to determine the level of risk involved with specific events taking place. Many believe the form directly targets Black and Asian artists. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, a self-confessed fan of grime, has welcomed work to review the form.

The report comes during a year which has seen grime break through into the mainstream. Stormzy, the most-streamed grime artist on Spotify, released the acclaimed Gang Signs and Prayer; the first grime album to reach No.1 in the UK. Alongside the likes of Giggs and Wiley, they dominated across the summer days at the likes of Glastonbury, Virgin V Festival and Reading and Leeds Festival.

Attendance for grime events has increased by 34% over the last three years, with Ticketmaster selling more tickets to more people than ever before.

Skepta - Man (Official Video)

The most-streamed grime artists on Spotify

1. Stormzy
2. Skepta
3. Dizzee Rascal
4. JME
5. Bugzy Malone
6. Wiley
7. Lethal Bizzle
8. Kano
9. Chip
10. Big Narstie


Elsewhere, the research discovered that one in three of those surveyed attend grime events to meet potential partners. Grime fans are also more likely to purchase a single ticket to an event (26%) when compared to rap/urban (20%), rock/pop (19%) and RnB (6%).

 

“By working with Disrupt Creative and University of Westminster, we set out to create the first set of data around grime and quantify its increase in popularity,” says Ticketmaster Managing Director, Andrew Parsons. “Ticketmaster has witnessed firsthand the rise of grime, ticketing four times as many grime events as in 2010, and as it continues to grow, we look forward to helping more and more grime fans to become a part of this cultural phenomenon.”

London’s Night Czar Amy Lamé adds: “Grime is one of the great music genres to come out of London, and with international talent like Skepta as well as rising stars like Nadia Rose bringing grime to the world stage, it is little wonder this grassroots music movement is now becoming a huge part of mainstream culture.

“At City Hall, we are doing everything we can to safeguard grassroots music, showing the world that London is open to talent and creativity. As well as setting out measures to promote busking and protect grassroots music venues, we’ve made it clear that Form 696 shouldn’t compromise the capital’s vibrant music industry or unfairly target one community or music genre. That is why we are working with the Met and London’s promoters, venues and artists to make sure London’s legendary music scene is the best and safest in the world.”


More on grime from the Ticketmaster Blog

The rise and rise of Stormzy
Our Top Live Grime Moments
State of Play: Grime video

Lady Leshurr - Juice (Official Video)

Read the full State of Play: Grime report here now.

Find past State of Play reports on Dance, Comedy, and Theatre, here.